Make the Holidays a Breeze by Breathing!

Think about this:

How many days (or weeks) can you live without food? . . . . .

How long can you live without water? . . . . . .

How long without air?

Of these three crucial elements for our bodies survival which is now the most important?

Ok, so what, I’m breathing. I do it every day, I do it so well in fact that I do not even think about it. It just happens! I challenge you to notice your breathing. Is it deep and full, or shallow and short? Do you breathe into your abdomen, our just into the top of your lungs?

Most of us inhale just enough air to get by, suffocating our bodies over time. The chances are that you are not breathing deeply enough to remove the toxins that build up or the stale air which hangs around in the lower portion of the lungs. Breathing is such a natural act that we do not give it a thought. Yet it is this ability to breathe without thinking or breathe with deliberation which makes it such a valuable tool. The act of conscious breathing acts as a bridge between the sub-conscience (body) mind and the conscience mind.

Deep abdominal breathing acts to:
• cleanse the inner organs

• calm the body and brain,

• improve digestion,

• increase circulation,

• regulate an irregular heartbeat,

• relax,

• relieve insomnia,

• reduce or even eliminate a panic/anxiety attack,

• lower blood pressure,

• clear sinuses,

• work more efficiently,

• improve mood,

• reduce stress,

• create harmony of body and mind

Amazing really, when you think about it. All this, and it is as close as your nose, and as simple as breathing out and in.

Here is a sample breathing exercise. I encourage you to try it, you’ve nothing to lose, and who knows what benefits you may reap. For best results, do this is a relaxed uninterrupted setting. Allow yourself 5 – 10 minutes

1. Lie comfortably on your back, or sit comfortably feet on the floor, hand on your abdomen

2. Inhale slowly and deeply through the nose, allowing your abdomen to expand like a balloon. Keep your hand on your abdomen and feel it expand.

3. Let the abdomen fall as you exhale slowly through the mouth, releasing old, stale air.

4. Inhale easily (through the nose) and feel the abdomen expand again.

5. Press the air out as you contract; puling your abdomen in while exhaling out the mouth.

Remember to always exhale more slowly than you inhale.

Repeat this for 5 – 10 breaths. Observe how you feel. Calm? Refreshed? Energized? Tired?

Experiment with this simple variation: Exhale first, releasing any air in your lungs.

Inhale, through the nose, for a count of 4, hold the air for a count of 4, then exhale through your mouth for a count of 8. Continue this pattern for 5-10 breaths. Notice anything different?

There it is, breathe. . . . .your life depends on it!

For more information:

“Breathe in, Breathe Out” by James E. Loehr, Ed.D and Jeffrey A. Migdow MD

“Breathing, The Master Key to Self Healing” (a 2-CD set) by Andrew Weil MD